Additional Outreaches

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing some outreaches of New Jerusalem Ministries. I shared about some changes that will impact this ministry this year as well New Jerusalem Singers and Happy Times Variety Show.  

In this blog post I would like to share a few other outreaches we have that many may be unfamiliar with. We will look at them one by one. 

Needless to say, if you are reading this you know I write a blog. Well, I have been on hiatus with some of these things for quite a while, but I am slowly making my way back to being active in these things as the Lord leads. I recently resumed blogging. My blog will consist of me sharing my thoughts on a variety of topics on, what I hope to be, a weekly basis. Be sure to check back and check out my blog. I would encourage you to take some time to go back in time to read some of my previous blog posts as well. 

I also started a Vlog some time back. I don't have many posts but I look to start posting more vlogs in the near future. I will be sharing thoughts on my vlog from time to time. I will share inspirational thoughts as well as words of encouragement. I would encourage you to subscribe to my vlog and you will be notified when I post a new vlog. 

Check out my vlog at www.youtube.com/@rayspellbrinkvlog9423 

My YouTube channel has my preaching and teaching in various settings such as churches, home, outside or even sitting my favorite chair. You can access my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@RaySpellbrink .

My podcast will cover a variety of topics and will include personal thoughts from my own journey as well as interviews with others on a wide variety of topics. You can access my podcast on a variety of platforms. You can check out my podcast using this link: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ray-spellbrink 

Another outreach of NJM is a ministerial fellowship. Our ministry motto is Encourage, Exhort and Edify. That is what we do with NJM Ministerial Fellowship. We work with ministers, ministries, churches, singers, organizations or anyone who may need encouragement, counseling or advise on the various aspects of ministry. This is a free service that we offer however there may be federal, state or county fees associated with legally setting up a Corportation or ministry. 

We host an online Bible Study every other week on Mondays at 7 pm. We host this via Zoom. This is an interactive Bible Study where we encourage everyone to participate and share. We generally go for an hour or so and this includes prayer time at the end of the Bible Study. If you are interested in receiving a link to the Zoom Bible Study, send us your email address and we will add you to our email list when a link is posted. This is also simulcast on my personal Facebook page.  

There is so much associated with ministry, and we try to be available as needed. We are able to serve communion to those who are shut in or may not have a church home. If a loved one is in a senior retirement environment, we can go to them. 

We are able to baptize those locally who have believed on Jesus as their personal Savior and desire to take that next step and be baptized. 

We also perform weddings as well as funerals. 

There may well be other things we do and other services we provide that escape my memory. We love God and love what He has called us to do. 

After reading the last several blog posts, you should have a pretty good understanding of what New Jerusalem Ministries is all about. In a nutshell...IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!

Please feel free to share this blog post with others who may be interested in NJM and what we offer. We stand ready to serve. 

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/rayspellbrink

How Not To Lose Patience

Have you ever lost your patience with others? Do you still tend to grow impatient with other people? 

Maybe it’s because of things they should or should not do. Perhaps it’s because they ask you for your advise time and time again yet they ignore it. Maybe they ask you to pray for them regarding a particular situation in their life but they do nothing to rectify it.

Maybe you feel like you are at your wit’s end with them. You are frustrated. You are ready to give up on them. Perhaps you even want to give them “what for”. 

When you are about to lose all patience with people like this stop and take a step back. Consider how patient God has been with you. God shows great restraint and patience with each of us. Sometimes He even sends very patient people into our lives to help us get on track. That’s love! 

Perhaps consider if you had to put up with some of the things you have done just how patient would you be with yourself? Yikes! When I think about that I cringe. You see, I know me. I realize just how impatient I have been with others. Sometimes I still catch myself being impatient. There are times others point my impatience out to me. 

We should be grateful and thankful that God loves us unconditionally. He wants what is best for us. By the way, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit that should be prevalent in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Anything worthwhile takes effort. If patience is a problem in your your life pray and ask God to work on that in your life. Be prepared. He will work on helping you become patient.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Quit Beating Yourself Up Over Your Past

One thing many people have a difficult time doing is letting go of their past. Most of us have made mistakes in the past we wish we hadn’t. We’ve done things, perhaps, we were not proud of. Many have a hard time moving on from those mistakes.

We pray. We ask for forgiveness. We put it under the blood. Yet we have a difficult time leaving the past behind.  

Too often we continue to beat ourselves up over our past. Even though God has forgiven us we haven’t forgiven ourselves. We must accept God’s Grace and mercy regarding our past. If we fail to do this we will never walk in the victory and have the joy God intends for us to have.

Not only does Satan throw our past in our faces there are people who will bring our past up to us. However I believe the most detrimental one who throws our past in our face is self. We just have a hard time forgiving ourselves.

Talking to people through the years I am genuinely amazed at the sheer number of people who battle not forgiving themselves. It is astounding. 

Let’s take our past sin, failures, trials and heartaches to Jesus. Leave these burdens at the feet of Jesus. Don’t pick them back up. You will feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders. 

We sing a song that I really like. The chorus really has a good message. 

Leave it there, leave it there

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there

If you trust and never doubt He will surely bring you out

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there 

Don’t carry the burden from your past. Don’t allow Satan, anyone else or even yourself to discourage you or bring you down because of what you did or didn’t do in your past.

Walk and live in the victory God intends for you. Turn it over to Jesus and smile the rest of the day.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Don’t Look Down Your Nose At Others

Far too many people have preconceived notions of what a Christian is. They even have ideas in their minds of what a Christian should look like. Some will even take Scripture out of context and tell you what you should or should not wear. In all honesty it gets pretty ridiculous. No wonder many people want no part in what passes as “church” these days. 

We look at how a person looks in regard to their outward appearance. God looks at the heart of the person. People can dress the part. They can look holy yet be far from it on the inside - where it matters. 

I have had people say to me, “You don’t look like a preacher.” I then usually ask them, “What does a preacher look like?” That tends to throw them off guard. If they do respond, it generally has something to do with the outward appearance such as me not wearing a suit and tie. Not wearing a suit and tie is becoming more of a norm these days. For the record, I had a wide array of suits I used to wear. However, my jacket would be off before the service began and my tie would be, at the very least, undone or even off as the service progressed. I deem it to be just man-made expectations. I currently only own one suit. I call it my combination wedding/funeral suit.

Certainly we should be modest in regard to what we wear. After all we are ambassadors of God representing heaven. The Bible teaches modesty. Let me also say here if you dress up because you want to that is fine. I have no problem with that so long as you don’t think you are better than others who do not dress up.

 

Oftentimes these people who hold to these man-made rules or traditions look down their noses at those who don’t meet or measure up to their standards. 

I have no reason to look down my nose at anyone. I am but a sinner saved by God’s amazing grace. I’m thankful for Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary. 

I pray this particular blog post gives you something to think about and consider.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Life Is Only Found In Jesus

People, today, are searching. They are searching for something that is true and genuine. They are searching in many different places and through many different means.

Many are searching for truth. They are searching in books, religious teachings even in institutional church services. Oftentimes they look to the Bible as a text book to find truth instead of looking to the One who is truth.

John 14:6 CSB

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We must keep the Main Thing the main thing. While there is nothing inherently wrong with authors who write about Jesus, books written about Jesus, speakers who speak about Jesus and Bibles that point you to Jesus we must keep in mind these things are not Jesus. 

There is but one Jesus and He is the Living Word. 

John 1:1-2 CSB

[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning.

John 1:14 CSB

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

As I have said often in my blog it comes down us having a relationship with the Living Word - Jesus. Relationships take work. Communication is a huge key to all successful relationships. We speak to Him in prayer and He speaks to us through the Bible as well as by way of the Holy Spirit who indwells believers.

Of all the relationships we cultivate none is more important than our relationship with Jesus. As important as our relationships are with our spouse, children, extended family and even friends there is no relationship more important than the relationship between us and Jesus. 

Jesus loves us unconditionally. He laid down His life for us. That’s love! The very least we can do is live for Him. 

It’s all about Jesus!

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

Check out my website at www.rayspellbrink.com

 

Times Of Uncertainty

We all face times of uncertainty in our lives. If you have not you will. That’s life. 

There will be times someone we count on let’s us down. There will be times when someone you love hurts you and it will cut deep. Sickness will take it’s toll and you will lose someone you love.  

Thankfully, if you will allow Him,God will show Himself faithful through the darkest of nights and toughest of times. His love is unconditional. There are no strings attached. Absolutely nothing can separate you from the love of God.

 

Romans 8:38-39 NLT

[38] And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. [39] No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The outcome of Paul’s search is that he can find nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is exciting to know there is nothing - absolutely nothing - that can separate us from the love of God. 

Stand on this Word. Embrace it. Let it sink in to your spirit. God loves you and is faithful.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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You Can’t Hide Sin From God

We have a tendency to want others to perceive us in a certain way.  For example we often don’t want others to know the struggles we have in our lives with sin. We do our best to cover up these things. As far as other people are concerned we try to “pull the wool over their eyes”, as the old expression goes. 

While we may be able to hide sin from others and live each day as if all is well with us spiritually, the truth is we know better than that. More importantly, God knows better than that. 

There are times we may even try to convince ourselves that everything is fine with us. Sometimes we even try to justify the sin in our lives. The fact is, deep down in our heart we know better. As the above picture shows, it is ridiculous to even think we can hide sin from God. 

There are many Scriptures that deal with sin. One that comes to mind really encapsulates the thoughts in this blog post.

Numbers 32:23 CSB

But if you don't do this, you will certainly sin against the LORD; be sure your sin will catch up with you.

Whether or not others discover your sin, your sin will catch up with you. Don’t even consider the possibility of dabbling in sin. Sin cannot be tamed, outrun or shaken off. No matter how well you think you are hiding sin in your life your sin will catch up with you.

If you have sin in your life there is forgiveness. Isn’t that great to know? Let me share a couple of Scriptures about that.

1 John 1:9 CSB

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1-2 CSB

[1] My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-Jesus Christ the righteous one. [2] He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

The only one who wins when we attempt to hide sin is the one who tempts us to sin - old smutty-face himself - the devil. 

We should not give the devil a foothold in our lives in any way, shape or form. Give him an inch and he will take a mile. Paul, the apostle, when writing to the church at Ephesus instructed them not to give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:27). Don’t even give him a chance  

If you are a Christian you are on the winning side! God has provided for us everything we need to walk in victory and live a victorious Christian life. Let’s do it.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

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It’s All About What You Are Made Of

Have you ever asked someone how they are doing and they respond, “I’m doing okay under the circumstances”. “Circumstances is defined as “facts or conditions connected with or relevant to an event or action”.

I believe character and integrity is extremely important. I also believe our faith and trust in God is vital to the believer. 

Let’s face it, we all face challenges on our journey through life. How we respond to these challenges - whether they be trials, valleys, heartaches, tempatations or whatever else it may be - will be determined by our character and integrity. The means we use in responding to these things is our faith and trust in God.  

You may very well encounter some things on your journey that will soften your heart to a particular situation or person. On the other hand you may encounter some things that harden you or toughen you up. It’s ironic, as the above saying tells us, the same things that soften us can also toughen us. Both are needful in the life of every believer. 

I encourage you to look for the lessons God has for you when you are facing things you’d rather not face in your life. Don’t throw yourself a pity party and become so eager to get out of the tough times that you overlook and miss the lesson.

Keep your chin up and your focus on Jesus.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Rock Bottom

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you feel you have hit “rock bottom”? It seems everything you set your hand to do falls apart? Your life is a mess. Maybe you have even asked yourself, “What else could go wrong?”  

I do believe there is often a purpose for these times. None of us likes going through these severe times. I know I have been at this point in my own life in the past. Not a fun time.

Maybe you find yourself at rock bottom now. You feel like you are at the end of your rope. You might be facing serious trials or heartache. You may feel no one understands what you are going through. Perhaps you feel unloved. Maybe you feel you don’t deserve to be loved by anybody - even by God. 

I once heard someone say, “When you get to the end of your rope tie a knot in it hold on tight and swing.” You see, God does love you. You have worth. There is a way out. 

Remember, sometimes God let’s you hit rock bottom so that you realize that He is the Rock at the bottom. Stand on Jesus, the Solid Rock! Build your faith on Him. It’s about a solid relationship with Jesus firsthand foremost. Everything else is secondary. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Messed Up People

Have you ever crossed paths with someone professing to be a Christian who thinks they are better than others? Yeah, me too.

They don’t want to be bothered with “messed up” people. They are “religious” people who often look down their noses at these “messed up” people. They tend to only want to be around people much like themselves.  

It makes you wonder what Jesus would say about this behavior. Well, actually, we do not have to wonder. Jesus took on this subject head on.

There is a great analogy of this found in a New Testament parable Jesus shared.

Luke 10:25-37 CSB

[25] Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" [26] "What is written in the law?" he asked him. "How do you read it?" [27] He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind," and "your neighbor as yourself." [28] "You've answered correctly," he told him. "Do this and you will live." [29] But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" [30] Jesus took up the question and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. [31] A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. [32] In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. [34] He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him. When I come back I'll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.' [36] "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" [37] "The one who showed mercy to him," he said. Then Jesus told him, "Go and do the same."

Here we see Jesus illustrates this quite simply. The religious leaders crossed over to the other side of the street to avoid having to deal with a “messed up” person. They didn’t want to take the time or put forth the effort to deal with this messy situation. In essence, they did not want to get involved. 

It was the Samaritan who had compassion and stopped to help the distressed man. Keep in mind Samaritans we’re considered “half-breeds” and were looked down upon by the Jews of the day. Yet it was the Samaritan who seen a need, stopped to help plus payed what was considered two months wages to the innkeeper. Upon his departure he told the innkeeper to take care of the man and he would settle up any other expenses when he came back through  

How about us? Do we take time for “messed up” people? If our paths crossed someone in need will we stop and tend to them? Will love them and be Jesus to them? It brings to mind a chorus to a song:

Oh to be His hand extended

Reaching out to the oppressed

Let me touch Him, Let me touch Jesus

So that others may know and be blessed 

  

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Is It Time To Move Forward?

So often we fail to move forward or even move on to things God has in store for us. As a rule, many people don’t like change. We are comfortable with the way things are. We don’t want to have to step outside of our comfort zone even if we know we should.

It’s very possible God will close doors that we are trying our best to keep open. He wants to move us onto bigger and better things but He knows until the current door closes we won’t budge. The bottom line is the current door must shut if we are going to move forward with God. 

If you find yourself in this situation today allow God to close the current door and move on in Him. The next door - the next opportunity - God has in store for you will amaze you. Everything God does is amazing and will have amazing results if we walk through the door He is opening for us. I know these things to be true as I speak from personal experience.

While the transition may be challenging for those who resist change, the reward and outcome will be worth it all. God knows what He’s doing. Trust Him!

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

Check out my website at www.rayspellbrink.com

God Has A Plan

I’m a firm believer that God has a plan for every individual. I have believed this for many years  I have shared this with many people.   

I think many of us often have preconceived notions of what that plan looks like God has for us. We attempt to confine God to a box of what we think He wants for us. By doing so we limit God’s ability to fully reveal His plan for us. You see, we can limit what God does in our lives. We see examples of that in the Bible. 

We serve an “outside the box” God. We look for Him to reveal His plan for our lives in conventional ways. We don’t look outside the box. By doing this we can miss God’s leading, will and plan for our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 CSB

For I know the plans I have for you"-this is the LORD's declaration-"plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God knows the plan He has in mind  for each of us. It’s a plan taylor-made for us. God is well aware of our gifts, personality traits and our quirks. In fact He often uses these things to accomplish His plan and purpose in our lives.

It doesn’t matter how young or old you are. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, an extrovert or an introvert, have good health or bad health - God has a plan for you!

The plan God has for each of us is for our own well being. His purpose is to give us a purposeful future that is full of hope.

I encourage you to look “outside the box” and see what God has for you. Embrace God’s plan for you. You will find no greater joy than knowing God’s plan and being in the center of His will.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Leave The Drama Behind

 We live in a day of division.  Bitterness and anger run rampant among friends, families, co-workers, churches and even countries. We are certainly seeing more than our share of it in the USA. I have never seen a more divided time than what we are experiencing today. It’s heartbreaking and sad to see what is going on and how this division is impacting all those involved.

People and people groups get their feelings hurt far too easily these days. Political correctness is running amuck. It’s crazy! Everywhere you look there is drama. Sometimes it even turns dangerous and deadly.

I do agree with the above. I have never been one to like drama. I don’t like it in families, work places, churches or my country. Frankly, I don’t see the point. I am aware of the old adage, “The squeaky wheel gets the greased”. Many start drama and carry on until they get their way. How sad. What a miserable life they must have.

I learned a long time ago to walk away from drama and the people who start it. I still love and care about these people but I want no part of the lifestyle of drama they have chosen for themselves. 

I choose, rather, to be around people who are a positive influence. People who bring a smile to my face. People who make me laugh. People who are there to lean on when times are tough. You know, people you enjoy being around.

As for the drama queens, I will certainly pray for them that they, too, will be free from their self imposed bondage. If you are one of them, come and walk with me - away from the drama. Life is, indeed, too short to be anything less than happy. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

Check out my website at www.rayspellbrink.com

Modern Religion Vs The True Gospel

There is much emphasis on numbers these days. This is especially true in churches. Actually, it has been this way in institutional churches for as long as I can remember. It’s all about the numbers. If a group of pastors gather at a meeting or conference it’s going to come up in conversation in short order. “How large is your church?” Or “How many do you have in your church?” I’ve been asked this question every time I attended a pastor’s meeting. 

We like to say numbers are important to the extent that each number represents a soul who will spend eternity in heaven or hell. I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. However, I do not believe I was asked this question, at least in most cases, for such a noble reason. My observation was more along the lines of importance and ego. The more people a particular pastor has in his church the more important he is and the greater his ego. The fewer people you have the less important you are to the work of God.  

I like what AW Tozer said here. I believe he hit the nail on the head. Today’s modern religion has been brought down to mere numbers. Oftentimes in order to get the big numbers it entails a watered-down version of the gospel, worldly music and antics and celebrities. By compromising they can fill a building. 

Preaching and teaching the true gospel to receptive hearts will fill people with God. This is substance for tough times. This will give them victory. This enables them to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. This looks different than the “big worldly churches” that so many flock to. 

I so enjoy the free expression of God’s church in whatever shape or form it takes and wherever it happens. Remember, WE are the church. When we gather, wonderful things happen. It matters not if you gather in a dedicated building, a park, a restaurant, someone’s home or backyard. It’s also important each person gathering has the opportunity to have input should they so desire and be moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. 

I believe, without a doubt, God’s church is an “outside the box” group of believers who love God and love one another. This group of believers desire more of God and to grow in His grace. This group of believers has the true gospel that emphasizes filling others with God. 

Don’t be fooled by modern religion. Don’t become complacent by the modern gospel. Rather, let’s make Jesus the center of all we do. Let’s give Him place to work on us and through us. Let’s put forth the true gospel and see others filled with God. Let’s do it for the glory of God. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

Check out my website at www.rayspellbrink.com

From One “Bummer” Sheep To Another

      This was posted on a group I belong to  it was verified by several who are shepherds or who work with sheep. There is nothing more for me to add. Please read the story and see the beauty of our relationship with Jesus, the Great Shepherd.

***

    Every once in a while, a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. If the lamb is returned to the ewe, the mother may even kick the poor animal away. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind.

     These little lambs will hang their heads so low that it looks like something is wrong with its neck. Their spirit is broken. These lambs are called “bummer lambs.” 

    Unless the shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die, rejected and alone. So, do you know what the shepherd does? He takes that rejected little one into his home, hand-feeds it and keeps it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the “bummer” can hear his heartbeat.

     Once the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock. But that sheep never forgets how the shepherd cared for him when his mother rejected him. 

    When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess who runs to him first? That is right, the “bummer” sheep. He knows his voice intimately. It is not that the bummer lamb is loved more, it just knows intimately the one who loves it. 

      So many of us are “bummer” lambs, rejected and broken. But He is the good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to His heart so we can hear His heart beat. We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.

From one bummer sheep to another… I love you! ♥️

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

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